


A New Path

by jokerxpanther



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd-centric, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Multi, No Beta We Die Like Glen, POV Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, POV Edelgard von Hresvelg, Second Chances, Slow Burn, Spoilers, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2020-10-19 04:22:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20651135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jokerxpanther/pseuds/jokerxpanther
Summary: To see her death again and again. To keep killing each other.What would have been if he had tried enough, if he had reached her hand far earlier?How he wish to fix everything as the truth came far too late.





	1. A New Chance

**Author's Note:**

> I need Dimigard fics more. So here is my second fic for them. As I promised this is Dimitri's POV, my previous work does not really related to this but you can connect it if you like.
> 
> Dimigard second chance, what will he do to fix everything? I have always thought that a golden route could have happened if only dimigard have a damn support! Why does the devs so cruel to us?
> 
> This is gonna be his journey to fix everything based from his knowledge that happen in Blue Lion's route.  
his fic will contains lots of spoilers for other routes as well. Please do not continue read this if you aren't prepared to be spoiled. Warnings: contains spoilers!! Also bear with me as English is not my first language.

"Edelgard stop this!" he said heavy and firm. His eyes looked at her with unwavering determination. She looked back at him equally. There was no hint of giving up on her purplish eyes even after he defeated her in the battle. Her allies had all gone. She was the last one standing now with a dagger pointed at him, the dagger that he had given to her a lifetime ago. How ironic.

She held it so tightly as if her life depend on that. Her body was already weak because of the monstrous transformation she just had, even after returning to her normal body, she stood up and face him, eyes like flames ready to fight him again.

"If you want this to stop... you must kill me now. There is no other way." She said so certain, death seemed to be the last thing she feared now even when she couldn't barely stand anymore and her voice was already so weak.

"Why would you choose this path? Why would you start a war?!"

She was breathing heavily, "... to end all suffering."

"No. What you did is cause more suffering to many innocent lives, not end it. Don't you see?!"

Unlike before her gaze shifting down and the determination that he once saw in her eyes drifting away, standing there alone with sadness in her eyes. His heart ached.

"Dimitri... you won't understand," she said while looking back at him with such loneliness in her eyes. "What I have been through… this path that I have chosen is the only way to better future. I would rather die while trying rather than staying alive but giving up on that dream. If you want me to stop you must kill me now."

He knew she was right, to end this war he must kill her. She had cause so much suffering to many innocent lives, so many victims because of the war she started. But even so why it still so hard to do that... his heart felt so heavy, even he knew that he already won the war, there was no satisfaction. Only a heart fill with sorrow and regret.

Suddenly a stab on his shoulder blade brought him back to reality.

"Even you, I’ll kill you if it means I can achieve that dream." She said while eyes looking at him unafraid. Her right hand had just stabbed him with the dagger.

But ... he could feel it... the realization that hit him like a storm.

How her hand was trembling and a slight hesitation that he caught on her eyes but she was trying to hide. Tell him more.

"Then..." he whispered only she could heard. "Why didn’t you aim for the heart?"

Her eyes wide as if he just open her deepest secret.

"You can’t kill me." he whispered slowly. "You can’t kill me." he repeatedly stated again while holding both the dagger in his shoulder blade and her hand that still attached to it. Removing it from his shoulder with the strength of a lion. He couldn't feel any pain oddly, perhaps it's his armor or rather that she didn't really intend to kill him in the first place.

He guided her hand to move away from dagger that had his blood. Then close the gap between them to hold her close. She flinched but didn't push him away. Just let him holding her in silence.

For a moment they just stayed like that before she finally rest her head on his chest. Her body was trembling before she finally broke into tears. Her hands helds his armory chest tightly. As if the chain that had sealed her was finally broken and now she was just a girl who hide nothing but her real-self. Only his breath and her tears fill the empty crown room. Each tending their broken heart, the future and the past that they had lost. The chilly air yet she felt so warm in his arms.

Was it wrong for him to wish for the time to stay still?

As if she had heard his thought, she asked the same question on his mind.

"Will there be a time where I can walk along side with you?" She whispered softly yet it hurt him as if some part of him know the impossibility. As if he had lived numerous times yet he never found a time where he could be with her.

"We can start it now," he said hopeful.

Her gaze soften when she looked at him, her hand softly cared his left cheek. Just looking at him longingly, like she was trying to remember every detail of his face.

"I had dream about you." She said sorrowfully. "One time I dream that I killed you and another time I dream you kill me. Every dreams I have about you always end up with either one of us dying." She laughed bitterly. "As if the world always trying to tear us apart."

"It's not too late now El. We can start now." He said stubbornly.

She smiled at him with the most beautiful smile that he had ever seen.

"I really do wish there is a time where we can stand side by side."

Before in a flash his hand that still holding the dagger was forcing to move, the next thing he knew the dagger that both of them holding already stabbing her stomach brutally.

Her mouth cough blood as she fell to the ground along with him. His body felt weaker as he saw blood keep coming from her mouth.

She smiled again even with the pain. "It's okay... Dimitri... this is my path here..."

She whispered weakly before her eyes close for forever. Leaving him in an unbearable lost and loneliness that oddly familiar as if he had experienced this once before. To see her death again and again.

Was there really no time where he could be with her? Was there no another chance where he could fix everything?

If only he had tried enough, if only he had reached her hand earlier.

What would have been?

A rumble like thunder and a flash of light comes to his sight blinded him with white..

** _"Dear my child, shall I grant your wish?"_ **

...


	2. Turning Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not a dream. It's real, he is turning back to his teenage self!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is gonna be Edelgard POV's too in the future chapters. Thank you everyone for reading the previous chapter even give a like and comment into this story. You are the reasons why I'm still continue this story. So I really appreciated. Hope you will enjoy this chapter too.
> 
> Without further ado...

Deep blue eyes opened widely. Cold sweats on his forehead, Dimitri could feel his own heart beating furiously.

_Was it just a dream?_ He thought quietly, but it did feel too real to be just dream. A girl voice echoed and _Edelgard..._ lifeless body in his arms. It's still too fresh on his mind. He felt chill run through his nape remembering that painful memory. _ Is she really gone now?_

He tried to wake up from his sleeping position when a sudden sharp pain on his head stopping him from doing so. He touched his scalp to ease the pain and groaned. Then, an echoed was heard...

** _"This is your last chance, use it wisely.'"_ **

He got up frantically from his bed and looked around him, searching for the mysterious voice. But there was no one around in his room, only himself alone. His eyes widen when he started to recognize his surrounding. This was a very familiar room, his academy dorm room certainly not the room he used to sleep on like last time he remembered.

_It can't be...!_

Very slowly and carefully he started to raise his right hand and touched his right eye.

It was still there, not missing any.

Then he quickly went to the mirror near his bed. A gasp from his mouth could be heard when he looked at his own reflection. 

Both of his eyes were perfectly fine. His hair was still cut short and neat unlike his adulthood long unruly hair. He touched his face carefully, looking at it inch by inch, making sure all of this was real.

His body was trembling down, accidentally knocked out the lamp from the table, crashing onto the floor. He was breathing hard, trying to calm himself down from this discovery.

This was real, he was really turning back to his 17-year-old self! The goddess truly just granted his wish.

After a few minutes passed he heard a knock from his door.

"Your Highness." 

Dedue's voice. A tear fell down from his left eye. He was still alive, not dead like in his previous life because of saving the like of him. He got up once again while wiping away his silence tears.

"Come in."

Dedue opened the door, concern was clear on his face.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Your Highness. But I heard a crash from your room. So I decide to check on it."

"No need to apologize Dedue. If anything I should be the one who apologize to you."

Dedue looked at him confuse. Dimitri just gave him a soft smile. "I'm glad you are here, alive and well." After a short pause, he asked. "What year and month is it now, Dedue?"

He even looked more confuse and worry now, but still answered his question.  
"1180 Imperial Year, the Great Three Moon."

A few moons before Edelgard started the war and the time when he met with the professor.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

He gave him a long look that someone like Dedue couldn't understand, in fact no one would understand it as no one had been in the future expect for himself. "Everything will be alright now, Dedue. Not a single soul will be lost because of my mistake again." He said full of meaning.

Yes, the goddess just gave him this second chance and he wouldn't take it for granted. He would use it to fix everything, saving everyone, and saving her from her worst fate.

...

The next morning he found himself already in his old blue academy uniform. Wearing this again made him feel nostalgic. He was going to his class. After the information he got from Dedue about the timeline where he was in now, he was sure this was the time before he had a mission with the other lords to the remire village where he would meet with the professor.

He could feel his palms were sweating, truthfully he was quite nervous to see everyone again. He knew some of the students here were died in his previous life, couldn't make it into the future. He was still remember many of them become his enemies, even some were killed by his own hands. They were all fighting for what their belief, clashing with his own. Thinking about that did make him even more determine to prevent the war from happening.

He took a deep breath, finding his result once more. There was no time for errors anymore. Everything would be decide since now on, every little things he did will matter for the future, there was no chance to waste it and make the same mistake again. So he opened the door with his new resolve fill onto his very own being. His only reason why he was turning back here.

"Good Morning, Your Highness."

He noticed Dedue had been waiting for him outside the dorm as he always did during his academy days, making sure that he would be safe in the monastery. 

"Morning Dedue." Dimitri greeted him back with a smile. "Let's go."

Dedue nodded and followed him on the back. He looked at this familiar sight again, the monastery was still in perfect shape, no broken walls or buildings. As good as it used to be before the war befall them. Again he felt very grateful.

By the time he near to the classroom he saw some of the golden deer students, Rafael, Ignatz, Hilda, and Lorenz were ones of the many people he killed himself. Seeing them again he did feel guilty. Even if he wanted to apologize to them, there were no use for it now. Because in this timeline those misfortunes fates wouldn't befall them again, he would make sure of that. 

When he finally arrived at his classroom, he found everyone already gathering there.

"Ah Your Highness! What took you so long?" asked Sylvain. This make everyone stop whatever they were doing and approached him. They made a half circle around him like they always do to discuss their next plan and study.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm sorry for being a bit late, but nothing to worry though." 

"How can you be possibly become the next king, if you can't even be on time."

"Felix! Don't be rude! Don't mind him Your Highness. You know he always like that."

"It's okay, Ingrid and Felix is right, I shouldn't be late."

"Nah, It's all good now Dimitri, as long as you are here now. So what will we gonna do today?" Mercedes asked with her usual cheery voice.

"Yeah, yeah! what we gonna be study today? Is it reason, faith, axe, lance, or sword training?" Annette asked not hiding her excitement for studying like she always did.

"I believe today is for sword training lesson with Professor Seteth."

"Finally, I can beat you with my new sword skill now." 

"Bring it on Felix."

"Tch. Just wait and see."

"Okay then ladies, if you have any problem with the sword, just ask me and I will help you in second." Sylvain said and throwing a wink toward the girls.

"Ugh Sylvain, you are not even that good with sword," comment Inggrid at her childhood friend antic, obviously annoyed by him.

"Ouch, that's hurt Ingrid."

Ingrid just rolled her eyes, already use with his childhood friend behavior.

Dimitri just laugh. "Now, now, everyone let's head to the training ground."

Together they departed towards the training ground but when he left his classroom, he stopped on his tracks the moment he noticed Edelgard, talking seriously with Hubert near the Black Eagle classroom.

His heart was beating like crazy. It's truly her. Still very much alive, no more bloodshed from her mouth. She still wore her cute ribbon not the intimidating horns on her head. Her long white hair was flawlessly stay on her back while her long sided bangs framing her face elegantly. The Edelgard that he remembered well during the academy day. A sigh of relief came out from his mouth.

He must be stared at her for far too long, because she caught him staring.

Her eyes didn't hold any warm for him. This Edelgard did not remember him. She had forgotten about their childhood memories, just like the Edelgard in his previous life who only remember him when he gave her the dagger again during the war. _When it's all too late_.

He clenched his fists tightly, this time he wouldn't make the same mistake again. He would make sure she remembered him. He looked at her determine, Edelgard seemed to notice his sudden change because she gave him a curious glance.

Remember there wasn't time to waste. So he step forwards to her, closing the distance between them while still holding her gaze.

"Good morning, Edelgard, Hubert." he looked at Hubert barely before looking back at her.

"Good morning to you to, Dimitri."

Hubert just nodded. She continued. "Is there anything you need?"

"I do. Can I talk with you after the classes done, Edelgard?" He looked at her seriously. "Alone." He said clearly for the man beside her.

She was a bit confuse and hesitate before answered him, "Okay..."

"Great. I'll see you around then, Edelgard." He stated, trying his best to sound casual and not weird. He didn't want to give her a weird impression.

She nodded.

Dimitri gave Hubert a nod before turning back to his way towards the training ground.

He closed his eyes in relief. First step towards changing the future. He looked back at her.

_Soon there is gonna be a change, El._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri will be more mature here because of his previous life experience. He had seen everything so his personality will be change, more intriguing for some people. And of course the slow burn dimigard is coming your way! XD


	3. A cup of Tea for a Future

Dimitri could feel Edelgard's gaze lingering on him while he preparing the tea for both of them, perhaps wondering what and why he suddenly wanted to talk. He took his time. Dedue has already been dismissed and he was glad that she did come alone as he had requested, no sight of her retainer nearby. Leaving only the two of them alone at the pavilion.

When he finished with the tea making, he served it to her first, she murmured him a thank before he took a sip of his own chamomile, it was warm and bitter but still manage to ease his mind. He looked at her and met with her already waiting lavender ones. Those eyes that always looked at the future more than anyone else. There were so many things he wanted to ask her, so many things that he wanted to know from her. All the reasons behind her actions, why she did what she did, to understand her as he had failed at that in his previous life. He could go on and on, but he knew he couldn't push that on her as he hadn't earn her trust yet.

"So Dimitri, what do you want to talk about?" she asked breaking their silence.

"No need for small talk I see..."

"I'm sure that both of us not here for that."

"You are right."

"So tell me now, this morning you have been acting quite odd."

"Odd?" She noticed.

"Yes. You want to talk to me privately, then invite me for a tea. You never had done that before, not to me at least."

Hearing her confession, he realized how bad he had treated her before. Despite the history they had shared together, he never tried to truly reconnect with her or even be her friend. There was one time he tried to though when he asked about her white hair but the moment she showed indifferent and seemingly forget about their childhood past, he gave up easily. It's one of his biggest mistakes in the past that he would like to make amend in this second life.

"I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable, Edelgard. It's never been my intention."

"No it's fine..." she said slightly hesitate. "But it's just a bit unusual coming from you."

"Yes I'm aware suddenly asking you to come here and talk. Must be a little odd for you... truthfully I'm not sure if I can ask you this or even less sure about your reaction."

She assesed him quitely. "What is it then?"

"I want to ask you a favor."

"A favor?"

"Yes. I actually need your help with axe training." Dimitri paused for a bit. "I hate to admit this but I'm not as good as you are when it comes to using axe as weapon."

Edelgard seemed a bit stun by his words before she suddenly chuckling softly to him. "I've never imagined you would admit such thing to me. Honestly, It's quite surprising, a refreshing side to see I must say."

"I must have make a wrong impression to you then."

"Interesting. But you never showed that side to me before. Though I understand why you never did." She kept her gaze on him. "Both of us are the leader of the house. The representative for the house. We have this responsibility to be better than anyone else so we will make a good impression for the house. If we lack in anything we will be judge thus our house will be seen as lesser one than the others. The reason why both of us along with Claude have always been in constant rivalry."

"Yeah we are. I'm aware that our houses are rivals. With me asking you help means I admit my own limit to my own rival. But I think it's time for a change." He gave her a look that tell her more than what she could grasp. "Our houses might be rivals but we didn't have to always fighting each other for who is better, we can start to learn and help each other out if things getting a bit too hard for us all." His voice is lower. "Afterall we are just students here."

She seemed to be deep in thought before meeting his blue eyes again. "Your perspective regarding this is interesting, Dimitri." She continued. "It's quite naive if I must say, sometimes there are things that we can't make it that simple, but I know and understand that you only mean well."

"Perhaps you are right that I'm naive for ever hoping for that, but how about we put that theory into test? Starting by you helping me with axe training. Let's see if we truly seeking help from each other, would it be better or worst for all of us."

She chuckled. "You are a clever one, aren't you?"

"I've just seen an opportunity and I don't think it would be wise of me if I didn't take it. And I know you understand that well, Edelgard."

A sigh escaped from her lips, before she finally answered. "Okay then, I'll help you with the axe training, but in return what will I get? After all you suggest it's to be a mutual symbiotic so we can test this theory of yours into full practice, isn't it?"

Dimitri genuinely smiled at her. "Indeed. As for what I can do for you, I can always help you with the horse and lance if you want to."

She smiled back at him, seemingly like his ideas. "Now that you mention it, I'll take it."

"It's a deal then."

She sipped her tea, looking completely comfortable unlike a few minutes ago. "It is."

Dimitri looked at her quite satisfied with the result. A step foward to earn her trust and another step closer to his goals. The starting point of crossing the long bridge between them. As he sipped his tea again, his chamomile had never tasted this better before.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a bit shorter but hopefully you guys still like it. I just want to shot out to yall how grateful I am to everyone that has given me support to me either by kudos, comment, etc. It's give me a push to keep writing. Reading your thought make me even more happy. This fic is for you. Also who is excited to see dimigard train together?
> 
> Also Dimitri is currently trying to earn her trust that's why he could never just say hey El I'm actually the one who gave you the dagger lol


	4. Familiar Scent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knew she was thinking about something that related to him, but he did not want to pry.

Dimitri quickly dodged the axe that almost hit him in the head, before he could even take a breathe another was coming to attack him. He successfully dodged it again. He looked at the beholder. Edelgard was so much smaller than him, a head shorter than him in fact, yet she swing the heavy object as if it weight nothing. While he himself having quite a hard time holding and adjusting the axe on his hand as his weapon. The axe was too heavy to use quickly, this was why he always prefer the lance better as it's less heavier and longer, fitting his tall build perfectly.

In terms of strength, he knew he was better than her. He was known for breaking things easily due to his immense strength that sometime out of his control. But then again, Edelgard proved himself wrong, that strength itself was not enough, he must have both skill and strength to use it well.

This time when she attacked him again he failed to dodge and fell to the ground instead. The edge of the axe almost touched his throat dangerously, his life now was in the hand of the beholder. He looked up at Edelgard, her smirking face was looking down at him.

"You have improved."

"Improve?" He wanted to laugh sarcastically at her comment, he was still losing to her. Despite the fact that he used this training as an excuse to get closer to her, it's still hurting his pride to keep losing to her in the axe training. It had been a week and he was still losing. "Don't sugarcoat it. I know I'm still bad at this."

Edelgard offered her hand, he took it to get up.

"You have improved but I didn't say that you are good enough. Certainly you are still bad at this, but better than the first day."

He faced her again with the axe ready on his hands. "Let's try again."

Two hours later had passed, soon there will be sunset. He looked at the clear sky, color with red and orange hue. He took a deep breath. 

"Let's stop now." Edelgard told him. 

He nodded, agreeing with him, both of them already exhausted. Then he caught her staring at him.

"Is there something on my face?" he asked her casually, she seemed to be in a deep thought.

"Nothing." She replied.

He knew she was thinking something related to him, but he did not want to pry.

...

Edelgard didn't know what she was doing now, spending time with the crown prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, her future enemy.

She must be stupid to even agree on training him, but she couldn't help it herself. Some part of her did want to do that, she reason perhaps it was good to learn more about her future enemy's weakness. Of course this would give herself on a very high risk, Dimitri could also found her own weakness in the process.

He was certainly quite smart, he would be able to notice that. But still despite its dangers she was willing to teach him, maybe it was the eagerness in his blue eyes that make her do it. He offered her a freindship, while here she was planning an assasination attempt on him. Suddenly an uncomfortable feeling in the fit of her stomach emerged, she felt sick.

"Edelgard, are you okay?" Dimitri asked, a look of concern showed on his eyes.

"I'm just feeling a bit dizzy." 

Dimitri step closer, suddenly his big and warm palm was on her forehead. She felt dumbfound by his sudden action.

"You did have a fever," he told her which suprised her. "You should have told me if you were not feeling well. We could postponed the training."

She noticed an angry tone from him.

"Why are you suddenly being upset?"

"How can I'm not? I should have noticed that you were not feeling well since the start, but here I force you to train. I'm sorry."

"I was okay until a few seconds ago, maybe I'm just a bit tired. No need to apologize beside I don't mind it."

He just made a mumble sound, "Can you walk?"

"I think I can." She answered but the moment she stepped again, she felt a suden dizzines hit her, she almost fell if it wasn't for Dimitri's hand on her waist that preventing her from falling. Her back was resting on his chest. At that moment she felt so small compared to Dimitri's height. Her head was also resting on his shoulder that oddly felt warm. She look up sideways to meet Dimitri's blue eyes looking at her with concern. His face was quite close with her, she could even smell his breath, it's mint. Suddenly her heart thundering so loudly perhaps due to sudden closeness between them. She hoped he wouldn't noticed her flushing face. If he asked she would blame the fever.

"Let me carry you, I think you can't walk now."

"N-No!" Edelgard said or more like yelled. "You don't have to."

"You can't walk now, Edelgard." He said in bored tone, as if he didn't even want to have an argument with her about this. "It's my fault that you are sick now. Let me make amend for it."

After a long silence, Edelgard finally nodded weakly. Once he carried her on his back, she hid her face between his crook shoulder and neck as he walked towards her room. She hoped no one see her in this kind of situation. She had never been this embrassed before. And Dimitri, he just carried her like she weight nothing. But there is something about this remind her of something in the past that she couldn't quite recall. His scent was oddly familiar and it brought her comfort.

_What is it...?_ She wondered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol Edelgard, she didn't see it coming. I know this chapter is basically full of Dimigard's fluffs. What do you think? It's always my pleasure reading all your thoughts.


	5. Present and Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the reupload due to many grammar errors before, so here is the new chapter with hopefully better. Enjoy!

Flashes of corpses, there were so many, and each time Edelgard saw familiar faces, one, two, three, and so on, she faced with the corpse of her siblings again and again. Blood everywhere so were their scars. Indicating numerous tortures before death welcomed them. She screamed her lungs out yet it came to deaf ears, none of them heard her or more like ignored her beg and cry. She was left alone in the dark with one shining thing, a dagger.

_"You've got to cut a path to the future you wish for, no matter what."_

A voice of a young boy ringing inside her head. The dagger, a gift from someone she had cherished in the past, the one that she had forgotten its name and its face. Her very first love.

_"El..."_ The voiced called her. She felt tears running on her cheeks like a kid she was.

Suddenly the world shaking like there was an earthquake, she fell deeper into darkness until she heard a voice calling her names and shouting at her "Edelgard!"

She immediately opened her lilac orbs with a loud gasp, to find a strain of blonde hair glistening in the dark with a pair of blue eyes.

_Dimitri..._

She woke up, and he helped her up. A look of concern plastered on his face.

"Did you have nightmare?" He asked her attentively.

She was still feeling hazy, her body felt so tired as if she had run miles. She breathed harder than usual. Everything still felt real, some of them were her true memory from the past, not just a dream. She had seen how her siblings had been tortured and it's worser than death itself. Their screams for those monsters to stop whatever they were doing, she still remembered it well as she had been in their shoe too. But the different was by fortune or not she somehow managed to survive and didn't lost her life in the process.

The dagger.

She knew the answer, it wasn't just fortune, but it's the dagger that she had clung to since her life had turned into horrendous, the dagger that gave her reason to survive as she still had purposed in this life. The innocent voice of a young boy that still had hoped for her to have a life she wished for, where she wanted to change the rotten world's system, they lived in. She was standing in the edge of a dawn, if she wished to see a new dawn, she must act herself or else nothing would ever be changing and her siblings' life would be gone in vain. 

_‘Where is he now?’_ She wondered sadly.

Would she ever meet him again? Was he even still alive? As she had forgotten the most important details of him, remind only a vague memory of his young gentle voice and his gift.

A hand caress her cheek tenderly making her look up to the man in her room. Startling her as she had forgotten that she wasn't alone, too lost in her own thought.

"You were crying." He told her as he let go of her cheek.

She blinked twice. To grasp his words. "Yes... I have a nightmare."

"Is it that bad?" He looked at her carefully. "You were crying and screaming in pain. I have to wake you."

It explained why he had shouted her name loudly in attempt to wake her up.

Telling him everything did tempting as it would be nice to have someone to talk to about all her concerns and burdens but doing that to him wouldn't do any good. Eventually he will become her enemy, to show oneself a weakness already a stupid mistake. She must not let her guard down. "I... don't want to talk about it." She told him warily.

"I shouldn't be prying myself. Forgive me." He told her with an obvious guilt, now she felt bad, he did nothing but being kind to her. The air in the room suddenly becoming awkward. Then he stood up from his chair. "I should go now. It's already late. Professor Manuela has healed you. By tomorrow morning your fever will be gone, rest well, Edelgard."

She remembered that he had carried her here due to her sudden sickness. If he was still here that meant he had been waiting for her here, and she just indirectly told him to go off splendidly. Without a second thought she grabbed his wrist. Then looked up to him. 

"Thank you," she smiled genuinely at him.

His hand that didn't grab by her touching his own neck, his cheek was a bit flushing. "It's nothing..." he mumbled.

She let him go as she watching his back walking towards the door. He opened the door, lingering there for a while as if he hesitated to go. He turned around to look back at her and his eyes were so tender. "Edelgard, if the burdens you carry are too heavy, you can always share them with me, don't carry them alone. You have me, I'm your friend, always will." He said in the most sincerely tone she had ever heard someone talk to her. Then he gave her a soft smile before closing the door, leaving her there in stun.

Her eyes sting, was there truly a chance for him to be her ally?

She dared not to wish.

* * *

The time had come.

Lady Rhea had called the three of them. Him, Edelgard, and Claude. Beside them, there stood a man older than the three of them. A new face or not really at least for Dimitri as he remembered that was a man that supposed to become their teacher but eventually the man would leave them into the hand of the bandits to save himself. A fate that would make them cross-path with Professor Byleth. One of the keys points in saving Fodlan, his savior if he must call her himself.

She had helped him in the war by being his class teacher and strategist. In this life he would need her again, without her his attempt would be fruitless.

But there were a lot of things that should have had changed. First of all, Professor Byleth should taught them together, so they would carry mission after mission together and he would have more chances to know more about Edelgard's plan, what was her true ideal because in the past they were too late to reconnect everything as she had refused to actually telling him the truth, she constantly leaving him in vague.

The only way he could do that was by breaking her walls, she needed to let him in. In the past he had failed doing so, even a few weeks ago she refused to open up to him about her nightmare, a proof that he hadn't earn her trust yet. Therefore, he would do anything to create more opportunities for that even it meant he must force Professor Manuela to resign from her position as the Black Eagle's teacher. He already had a plan for that. Hopefully, everything would come smoothly.

"This is Mr. Owain. He would likely become one of your teachers." Professor Sateth told them. "The three of you will work together with him, he will report your behavior and contribution to the mission. Remember this will impact your grade on this semester."

"Got it, teach." Claude answered him with his usual laid-back attitude, although behind all those facades he had a cunning mind. He would need him too, to create balance in Fodlan. He was the future leader of the Leicester Alliance, he remembered in the past he had said something about having connection with Almayra. A secret that he would like to discover too. He also trusted him enough by leaving Fodlan's in his hand in the past. What was he actually hiding? "Although I'm sure that the princelessness and our princess will be more determine now."

"Halt Claude, you are the one who will likely plotting to ensure your grade come on top while make sure we come behind you." Edelgard commented.

“Is that a compliment for me, princess?” Claude teased her.

“Take it as you want.” Edelgard rolled her eyes.

“Beware of the bandits, they are quite dangerous.” Lady Rhea interrupted them, then look at Professor Owain. “I leave them in your hands.”

The man posed straighten, then bowing his head deeply. “With great pleasure, you can trust me, Lady Rhea.”

Dimitri almost snorted, but he kept his neutral façade. From the look at it, he was already one of Lady Rhea’s men. A man that had been chosen by Lady Rhea herself yet he ran away as a coward back then when facing the sudden attack from the bandits. Something did seem a bit off.

Was Edelgard have something to do with this? Dimitri couldn’t help but wondered.

“Make sure to prepare everything ready, by tomorrow morning you all will depart.”

The four of them nodded at her. "Yes, Lady Rhea."

He looked at Edelgard somehow it still blew his mind away that all this time Edelgard had been planning a war against the Church. Looking at her now, she didn’t even show any sign of hatred toward Lady Rhea, keeping everything perfectly under her compose self and a good student image. How he wished to crack her mind open so he could know what was on her thought.

Then again, everyone had façades, so did he. Hiding his thirst for revenge under a gentleman disguise in his past life.

That stupid part that making him lost sight and failed to listen to his people's need and hers. She had said that she wasn't involved in the tragedy yet he blamed her for everything outrageously without actually giving her a chance to explain herself. His ears became deaf and he lost his own sanity in the process, only wanted her blood and revenge for the death people while being inconsiderate to those people that still alive and care for him. It's not until his friends, allies, and the professor's hand that had reached him prevent him from falling further into darkness and his own demise. He was a rotten piece yet they all believed in him and walked with him through everything and forgive him regardless when he did not deserve any of that. Those past mistakes he certainly would let it be repeated again in this life, from his past mistake in the previous life he had also learnt that's there was always a way for grasping the light no matter what happened.

"You seemed to have a lot of your mind." Claude said to him, the three of them were walking together towards their classes. Edelgard who was walking beside him also observed him

"Am I?"

"Yes, in fact I feel like you have been a bit strange for this past few week." Perhaps, he had been too occupied with his plans that he forgot to act like how he used to and the clever man had noticed it.

"I agree." Edelgard chimed in. "Do you worry about our next mission?"

"Does the princess worry about the princeling just now?" Claude responded with an obvious excitement.

"Stop it Claude." Dimitri said flatly towards him. "And no, I'm not worried. I'm doing this mission with both of you, so I don't think I need to worry much."

"Don't take it too easily either, you still have to be on alert no matter what." She scolded him.

He looked at her. "I know. But I have both of you with me."

"Don't be naive Dimitri. There is always going to be a chance for us to turn against each other. For us to be enemy, our ancestor did that, there is no saying that we won't." He knew the truth to that answer, she knew that too as she currently planning for that.

"Then I'll make sure it won't happen." _Again. _

“Still we have to prepare for the worst case. If that time comes at least we’ve been prepared for it."

"Yes, you are right." He said. After that Edelgard had excused herself from them to go to her class room. He looked at her departure figure in silence before Claude breaking the quietness.

“What’s with you and the princess?” He looked at her without hiding his suspiciousness.

"I know you Claude, sooner or later you will find out what." He said ever so composed. Claude was too smart to miss things, he would likely find out about his situation sooner or later. "For now, let's head back to our classes".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this while listening to Roar of Domination was such a splendid time, I think that song fits El perfectly, it certainly has world domination vibe but what I love the most is the touch of the violin or was it cello that makes the song so emotional especially if you remember this play when El attacking Gareg March and facing up Dimitri on BL's route. When the violin/cello played on the background while El and DImitri fight was just so heart-breaking.
> 
> Anyway I really do love Claude, I think he will have quite important role here, also it's canon that he ships them I mean just look at his dialogues with Dimitri in the battle always teasing him about El like he fuckin said "the prince has a thing for Edelgard" right to our faces lol


End file.
